Revelations
by aonalion
Summary: Jonouchi always waits until the very last moment to change after their health class. There's a reason for that. Oneshot, Jonouchi X Kaiba if you squint


**A/N:** Thanks a bunch to FanficFemale for betaing! :)

**EDIT:** People! I'm flattered but please stop adding this to your alerts! It's just a oneshot! xD

* * *

"Come on, Jou, hurry up!"

As usual, Jonouchi was the slowest one to change after their P.E. Yugi could never imagine why; he was always so fast about everything else and it was usually making him slow down that was the problem.

"Ah, that's okay, Yug', you guys can go without me."

Yugi's eyes lingered at Jonouchi's figure for a moment, or to be more precise; Jonouchi's arms. It could hardly be seen in the shady locker-room, but his arms were covered in small, pale scars, even though Jonouchi did his best at hiding them and only wear long sleeves. When they had health class, he didn't have much of a choice.

The scars on his lower arms were almost as if he'd tried to…

No. Yugi mentally shook his head. Jonouchi would never do that.

"… You sure?" he finally asked, doubt filling his voice.

"Yeah, of course!" the exchange of words was pointless, they'd done it all before and it was simply a charade for the few others who still were in the locker room. Yugi knew Jonouchi would stay longer than the others; Jonouchi knew Yugi wouldn't ask him about it. Not the specific reason anyway.

"Well, we're probably going to the arcade if you wanna join us later."

Jonouchi scratched the back of his head. "Ah, sorry man, I'll probably go straight home."

"Okay, well… maybe we can do something this weekend instead."

Yugi left, closely followed by Honda and the rest of the boys, and thus, Jonouchi was left alone. He sighed and pulled off his t-shirt, something he never did around other people. There was a reason for that.

He had scars on his stomach, chest, back. It was a wonder he still hadn't gotten any bigger ones on his arms, but he did had some small ones. Yugi didn't ask about them, mainly because Honda had told him not to. Jonouchi had a couple of bruises too, but they were almost healed up, nothing but yellow patches of skin now.

Quickly, he pulled off his shorts and boxers too, wrapping a towel around himself and stepping into the shower-room. He didn't even want to see the scars himself, didn't want to believe what his father did to him. But it wasn't as if he was a truly bad person, Jonouchi thought as he removed the towel again, and he didn't do it without reason.

It wasn't his father's fault his mother and sister had left them. It was Jonouchi's fault. His father kept telling him it was, so it had to be true. If Jonouchi only had been more aware of the situation, maybe he could've seen it coming and done something to prevent it. And their family would be whole, Jonouchi's father wouldn't drink and he wouldn't beat his son whenever said son did something wrong. But it wasn't as if he didn't deserve it; their family was shattered and it was his fault.

Jonouchi sighed – like the whole world was resting on his chest and making it harder to breathe. Things would get better eventually. They had to. If his father could only find a job or something everything would –

He lifted his head and froze as cold blue eyes met his own.

Shit. Shit shit shit _shit_.

He mentally slapped himself. Act normal! Jonouchi hastily spun around and saw – by the corner of his eye – Kaiba do the same thing. Both of them stepped into the showers, avoiding looking at each other the best they could, the sound of running water filling the air. Jonouchi brushed a strand of wet hair out of his eyes and stared at the dirty tiles.

'The hell was Kaiba even doing there anyway? He could probably go home and take a real bath in his fancy bathroom in his fancy mansion with real soap and real shampoo. Why would he even shower in school? And even if he did, why would he wait for so long?

They simultaneously stepped out of the showers too, grabbing their towels and walking out to the locker room again. Jonouchi went first since he had been closest to the door in the first place, and he could feel Kaiba's eyes burning at his back. Jonouchi himself kept his eyes lowered. He hurriedly put his clothes back on even though he hadn't dried up completely yet. He just wanted to get out of there, before Kaiba saw more than he already had and at least before he decided to comment on it.

"What have you done to your body?"

Jonouchi gritted his teeth. Damn it, too late. Why wouldn't that rich bastard just mind his own damn business? Like he needed yet another person to pry around his private life. And if Kaiba found out about his problems at home and with his father he would never hear the end of it. Kaiba would without doubt find a way to use it against him, black-mail him, threaten him… anything to get what he wanted. Whatever that was.

"None of yer concern." Jonouchi bit back, tying his shoes and definitely not meeting Kaiba's eyes.

"Did someone hurt you?" Kaiba wanted to know. He didn't exactly sound worried, only mildly interested and slightly surprised. So this was why the blond always waited until last to change after their health class. But why would anyone want to hurt him physically when you could crush him just as easily in a duel?

"No."

There was a slight pause before Jonouchi managed to get the lie out. He was used to lying to Yugi, no matter how horrible that may sound, but Kaiba was different; he was paranoid and used to people lying to him. It wasn't even a heartbeat before Jonouchi answered, but Kaiba noticed. The brunet's eyes narrowed. However, he didn't press for further information and went silent.

Jonouchi stood up and grabbed his bag. He watched Kaiba – who was still tying his shoelaces – for a second.

"Why d'ya even stay here f'so long?"

Kaiba stood up as well and met Jonouchi's eyes with as much of a thoughtful expression as the emotionless brunet could express. Instead of the usual snide remarks and insults, he said:

"I like being alone."

Jonouchi snorted. He was about to leave and had managed to turn half-way around when Kaiba asked another question.

"Do any of your friends know?" There was no question as to what he was referring to.

"Hond'." Jonouchi confessed.

"I see." He fell silent and Jonouchi made another move towards the door, only to be stopped again. "You will tell someone if it gets worse, right?"

"… Maybe."

"Mutt…" Kaiba warned. Jonouchi growled under his breath at the nickname but stopped in his track, _again_. His hand was still resting on the door knob.

"Alright, _fine_." He finally spat, but doubted he would actually do it. There was too much at stake.

"Good." The word was surprisingly soft, but Jonouchi didn't allow himself to think more about it before turning the knob and finally stepping out of the locker room. He had to hurry to get home; hopefully his father was asleep or even out in a bar somewhere so he wouldn't get mad at Jonouchi for being late.


End file.
